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1. Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse 1994 [Candlelight Records]
Arguably the finest Black Metal album of them all and Emperor top this list through having more than one defining album. In the Nightside Eclipse, revealed grandeur not yet experienced in the Black Metal scene and this opus par excellence can be cited as genre defining as Slayers ‘Reign in Blood’ or ‘Napalm Deaths ‘Scum’.
Featuring two of the most influential Norwegian musicians ‘Samoth and Ihsahn, [who were previously in, Thou Shalt Suffer], and spawning the likes of Mortis [original bass player], Emperor are the undisputed kings of Norwegian Black Metal.
‘Nightside Eclipse’ appeared after the equally astonishing split with Enslaved, taking the
invigorating keyboard imbued Black Metal to symphonic aural heights not yet beheld by man nor beast. The raw, desolate core of guitar and vocal delivery was intact, yet the majesty evoked by the keyboard orchestration was simply stunning.
The following album, 1997's Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk could never capture the astonishing atmosphere of ‘Nightside Eclipse’. What Anthems, did achieve was a progression of the former and where other bands would have struggled to maintain any momentum, Emperor just created a more dramatic and unique version of what preceded. The same equation can be applied to the 1999 release, IX Equilibrium. Once more the onus was not to surpass the former, but rather to strive onwards with far more intricate Black Metal components and daring music.
The bands influence has also had far reaching consequences with other acts of the same shivering ilk. Samoth played bass on Burzums ‘Aske, Gorgoroths ‘Pentagram & Satyricons ‘Shadowthrone, amongst others.
Emperor could never continue perpetually at such a release rate, and the bands last drops of ingenuity were used on the 2001 Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire & Demise album, a release that was to be their last. [for now that is].
 
2. Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas 1994 [Deathlike Silence]
What can be said that has not been said? An utterly monstrous beast of an album.  Unsurpassed in its pure one-dimensional deployment of chilling aural devastation. The band was led by guitar player Euronymous, [Oystein Aarseth] who took his name [apparently] from an old Hellhammer, track ‘Eurynomous’ found on the 1983 Satanic Rites demo. The band name is taken from the Venom song "Mayhem with Mercy.
Guitarist, Oystein Aarseth can be cited as the godfather of Norwegian Black Metal, his very name evokes the acute reality of the scenes early ascension, and his band surmounts the impressive list of bands who make up the scene, as true cult legends. The very mention
of ‘Mayhem’ overshadows the very point of its existence, the music. 
This statement rings true with every other Mayhem release, being that the music has never lived up to expectations and how could it? De Mysteris Dom Sathanas [translated as ‘Lord Satan's Secret Rites], contains the very embodiment of Euronymous, at a time when a whole movement was about to erupt. You can smell the smouldering remains of wooden stave churches amongst the music’s claustrophobic atmosphere.
With original Vocalist ‘Dead’, having blown his head off, the vocal duties passed to Attilla Csihar [from Hungarian band Tormentor], and his hellish drones are forever immortalized within the blood letting magnitude of the album.
The cover is a silhouette of the Grand Cathedral, Nidaros-Domen, a place Varg Vikernes had hinted at blowing up.
The songs are peerless, dispelling all pretenders to a fiery end. Contrary to popular belief, Count Grishnackh does play bass on this album; his bass was not removed as is widely thought.
Snorre Ruch plays guitar on the entire "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" album, Ruch was never credited on the original version, but he is credited in the liner notes for "The Studio Experience" box as well as on Attila's "Beast Of" compilation. He also wrote a few riffs (intros to Cursed in Eternity and From The Dark Past, and possibly a few more shorter parts) and edited/partly re-wrote four of the lyrics, as they were in fragments after Dead's death. [Info courtesy of Dan Thorbjørnsen]
Some argue that without the controversy of events outside the music, this album would be taken as a basic/standard Black Metal workout, nothing special and doomed to obscurity. I would argue the opposite, as De Mysteriis, just batters the air and subsequently lays barren any preconceptions of ‘the sub-standard’ to dust.
It is far cry from the bands 1987 debut ‘Deathcrush’, a toneless adaptation of Venom and Hellhammer, and consisting of all the limitations of an inexperienced first release. By contrast the follow up to the virtually immaculate, De Mysteriis, was Wolfs Lair Abyss [1997] and A Grand Declaration of War [2000] were pale comparisons, lacking personality and depth, albeit strong quality Black Metal releases.
The release of the Ordo AD Chao album has reasserted the bands former greatness, having captured the very wrought staleness of De Mysteriis, and harnessing the bands most bleak sounding opus since that classic debut.
 
3. Dark Throne - Under A Funeral Moon 1993 [Peaceville]
Initially starting life in 1988, as a Jazz influenced Death metal band, the subsequent influence of Euronymous would transform the sound into darker territory. Without the influence of Euronymous, the band may well have developed the not so inspiring music created on their debut, Soulside Journey. Thankfully a darker spell was to direct the creative spark into a more chilling form of music.
The re-animated Dark Throne, consisting of Nocturno Culto [bass], Zephyrous [guitar], and Fenriz [Drums], released the Celtic frost worshiping, ‘A Blaze in the Northern Sky’ in, 1992. It wasn’t until the release of ‘Under a Funeral Moon’, that the whole primitive icy
style so imprinted on the Norwegian scene was truly born. Here we find the chaotic atonal shroud of nihilism blasted from distorted guitars and a punk driven aesthetic.
The following album, Transylvanian Hunger, ‘Norsk Ǻrysk Blak Metal ‘, just plummets the whole coarseness and unrefined soul of ‘Under a Funeral Moon’, into a bleaker one dimensional aural dirge. Quite brilliant, yet not as imminently distressing as its root creator, the aforementioned, Under a Funeral Moon, is peerless in its tragically brooding hollowness. [Some may beg to differ in favour of Transylvanian Hunger]
Dark Throne have become the most consistent Norwegian Black Metal band with numerous releases and remain true to their Black Metal conception. The release of ‘The Cult is Alive’ album [2006] finds the ever reliable Dark Throne producing yet another sturdy Black Metal release, albeit lacking any of the venom of yesteryear.
 
4. Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant 1997 [Nuclear Blast]
Like England’s Cradle of Filth, this act has come under fire for the commercial widespread appeal they seamlessly/ shamelessly! activate. Not forgetting the band started on the cult ‘No Colours’ label with the ‘For All Tid’ album in 1995, that gained them a short lived relationship with Cacophonous Records, from where the solid 1996, Stormblast’ opus opened the doors to greater things.
The bands once underground credentials are now almost forgotten as the gargantuan tonal riffs of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant thundered into the genre like a wild untamed beast from beyond the fieriest of cavernous clefts.
One can argue the cult qualities of ‘For All Tid’ set against the bonafide Nordic atmosphere of ‘Stormblast’. But the sheer weight of ‘Enthroned Darkness Triumphant’ literally set this band at the pinnacle of the Black Metal tree. Massive orchestral arrangements riding alongside vast pounding guitars and a production forged in the very bowels of Hell. The wealth of memorable songs, all individually recognizable sets such releases apart from the rest.
Some of the more underground minds would accuse Dimmu Borgir of being a Black Metal Pop act with no real substance and I can understand why, although to appease this line of debate, I would cite Stormblast as the bands secondary classical masterpiece, an album that took the keyboard driven ethos of Emperor to a new level. Go back further and one could even cite the grim coldness of Fimbulwinter [Shagraths pre-Dimmu band], as a fully fledged Black Metal opus par excellence.
The following ‘Spiritual Black Dimensions’ [1999], although solid as they come, was not in the same league, and neither was the more complex, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia [2001]. The return to form came in the shape of the brain compressing ‘Death Cult Armageddon’, and this truly stunning opus is just beaten to the accolade of the bands finest by the simple initial impact ‘Enthroned...’ when released.
The re-working of the complete Stormblast album, [2005] was a pointless exercise to some. The release of In Sorte Diaboli in 2007, is a decent enough album, but no worse or better than the previous back catalogue.
 
5. Burzum/Burzum 1992 /Aske 1993 [Death Like Silence]
The first two Burzum [meaning darkness], releases mark and define a genre alongside the member ravaged Mayhem and rejuvenated Dark Throne. Cold and ugly, empty and shallow. These emotions encompassed the atmosphere on these recordings. Add to that the very real Evil aura of Varg Vikernes, who would shortly create a legend by murdering the visionary Euronymous, by stabbing him 23 times in a dispute over money.
Burzum was formed in 1991, from the ashes of, Satanel [a band that also included Abbath from Immortal], and the first two releases are intimate examples of Neolithic Norwegian Black Metal. [Vikernes and Abbath were also members of cult Norwegian Death metal act
Old Funeral 1989-92]
The debut release and the equally icy Aske mcd, conjured a desolate nightmarish musical soundscape. It was the terrifyingly abstract compositions that gave the archaic Burzum sound its identity. The writhing atmosphere created was one of a claustrophobic musical entity relatively untouched by its surroundings, seeped in its creator’s personal turmoil. The cover art for, Aske, is reputedly a photo of one of the burnt churches Varg ignited.
With a dark brooding soul of Pagan neo-Nazi post-Nietzschean philosophies, Burzums legacy is one of despairing nihilism and self destruction. Add to this a shrieking vocal delivery that emanates a gnawing discomfort born from Vargs turbulent mind and what you have is a very real dark musical entity, free from the theatrical enamel of many surrounding acts of the time.
There are among you that will be declaring the equally bottomless abyss of agonizing sounds, on, Hvst Lyset Tar Oss as Burzums ultimate triumph! These initial releases were followed by no less minimalist albums until Vargs [Count Grishnackh] incarceration in 1994. Thereafter, creating not so fearful synth music from prison, Vargs immense character became less enigmatic, although still a troubled representation of the extreme NS politics that inhabit the darker side of Black Metal
Varg, also contributed lyrics for the Dark Throne releases, Transylvanian Hunger and Panzerfaust.
 
6. Satyricon - Nemesis Divina 1996 [Moonfog Productions]
Having released their first demo in 1992, the band gained great respect due to the frozen atmospheres of the 1994 Dark Medieval Times and The Shadowthrone albums, both classic examples of primitive funeral synth shrouded Norwegian Black Metal. The release of Nemesis Divina was a thunderbolt up the arse of high quality music and near perfect Black Metal magnificence. The songs were thick with atmosphere and had the weight of hell spewing from their arrangements. The crushing track ‘Mother North’ is just one example of how massive this release was. This album just envelopes the ears with frosty Norse air. This album was to inadvertently hinder the bands progression as the following
album, Rebel Extravaganza [1999], although good, was never going to eclipse the former.
If anyone could predict what was to come, then they would have remarked on the bands music becoming more marketable and thus drawing the inevitable conclusion of pandering to a more consumer related audience
The release of ‘Volcano’ set Satyricon apart from their numerous copyists and cemented them into the elite division. The current, Now, Diabolical, album finds the band progressing even further into more melodic Metal moments, and maybe redefining the very core of the Norwegian Black metal sound for the mainstream?
 
7. Immortal - Pure Holocaust  1993 [Osmose Productions]
Formerly known as Amputation, and playing Death metal until Euronymous introduced them to his the Black Metal vision.
With a 7” Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism [1991] and debut album in ‘Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism [1992], this band can lay claim to being one of the original Black Metal acts. The material on the aforementioned releases could never inhabit the same icy atmosphere of ‘Pure Holocaust’, Pure Black Metal at its raw to the bone finest, pure unquenchable terror oozing from a crack in the Abyss. The band are one of the few Norwegian acts who actually succeeded in progressing from underground to over-ground, though never losing
touch with their roots.
With an emphasis on Corpse paint, [another Black metal image dropped by other acts as they achieved greater acclaim], Immortals following release, Battle in the North [1985], was a a mind ripping blast-feast of hyper fast snares and lightning guitar riffs, a classic album played at warp factor 9.
The 1997 album Blizzard Beasts could never match the articulate perfection of ‘Battles’, and it didn’t. At The Heart Of Winter, appeared in 1999 and the Immortal sound slowed to reveal a more brooding beast of the Nordic ice winds.
 
8. Enslaved - Eld 1997 [Osmose Productions]
Formerly known as Phobia, playing doom in the Autopsy style, the band adopted their name from the, Immortal, demo cut ’Enslaved to Rot’.
One of the most underrated of all the Norwegian bands. Born from the same era as Emperor, having shared the 1993 split cd , and having a debut album in the form of ‘Frost’, coming a close second as the bands best on this listing.
The following Vikingligr Veldi [Death Like Silence/Head Not Found] was a more directly composed album. Whilst the jaw dropping Frost of 1994, revealed the awe inspiring quality this band has on offer.
Yet it is with ‘Eld’, that the true essence of Enslaved bellowed forth. From the sublime intro to the brilliance of first track proper ‘Hordalendingen’, where acoustic guitars and soft vocals collide with blasting snares and guttural roars. The basic elements of folk music are set to the dynamics of intense Black Metal, with a dual chanting/screaming vocal delivery.
The band subsequently released albums of increasing quality and progressive elements, Blodhemn 1998, Mardraum 2002, Monumension 2000, and Below The Lights 2003, Isa, 2004, and the latest, Runn, opus making a strong impact on the scene.
 
9. Gehenna - Seen Through The Veils Of Darkness 1995 [Cacophonous Records]
The band formed in 1993, and released an absolute classic demo, Black Seared Heart, in the same year. This contained some of the most chilling, expressive Black Metal ever written and outside the nominations of full albums, this demo would rise as Gehenna’s finest moment. It is strange that the second album, had more in common with this demo than the first.
The 1994 debut, First Spell [Head Not Found Records], has a just cause to be cited as the bands finest work, although I believe Through the Veils to have a more potent arsenal of songs. From the gloomy semi-depressive Black Metal of, First Spell, Gehenna ushered
forth a more up-beat and symphonic collections of tracks with ‘Seen through the veils of Darkness’.
A keyboard driven symphonic neo-classical extension of what Emperor had innovated, the collision of melodic orchestration with standard guitars/drums to create another arm of extreme metals impressive sub-genres. The album has Garm from Ulver on guest vocals.
After ‘Veils’, Gehenna released the less orchestral, Malice’ album in 1996, a much acclaimed opus that seemed to secure the bands ascension to greater things. With the departure of the keyboardist, Gehenna slipped into a more Death Metal style and the momentum was lost. The band have re-surfaced with a more than proficient ‘WWII’ opus, but those far distant days of masterful Black Metal malevolence sadly remain as echoes from the past.
 
10. Borknagar - Borknagar  1995 [Malicious Records]
Formed in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun of Norwegian death metal band Molested, with members of Gorgoroth, Arcturus, Enslave, Immortal and Ulver to create what had become one of the most intriguing and stylish bands to come out of Norway. The debut has been chosen here to represent the coming together of Borknagar in a razor sharp primitive display of violent Black Metal. The release has none of the polish of the future albums, and yet the Viking leanings of the vocals manage to cement the sound at the very heart of Norwegian Black Metal. The following 1997 album, The Olden Domain, and certainly its natural offspring, The Archaic Course album, in 1998, cemented that unique Borknagar
style. Borknagar have that rare distinguished sound and are one of the few acts to own such a distinctive style that is instantly recognizable.
Other acts to own such status [out side the genre] are the likes of Bal Sagoth, Sigh, and more obviously Voi Vod. Inimitable so to speak, whereas most other acts are mutated across the board.
 

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